Seymour hadn't slept a wink after the night he'd had. Orin was dead. Audrey was free. Other Audrey was fed and content. What was the problem? He had spent the entire night trying to convince himself that what he'd done was right. Ethical. He'd done the world a favor! Still, he couldn't shake the guilt that had overcome him.
The sound of sirens were not uncommon in a place like Skid Row, after a while they were like background music. However, today those sirens sounded different. He could've sworn they were saying "Seymour! Seymour!" But he knew that was just the paranoia talking. Or maybe Audrey II. However, he instinctively ran to the window to make sure the cops weren't parked outside the store, ready to lock him up and throw away the key for what he'd done.
Seymour ran to the window for the eleventh time that day after hearing that all too familiar sound and when he looked, he was greeted by something he never expected to see. His worst nightmare. Two uniformed men were talking to an obviously shaken Audrey about something that Seymour couldn't successfully make out. A million thoughts raced through his head. "They know it was me. She'll now know it was me. She'll think I'm a psychopath. She'll think I'm crazy." Somehow the thought of Audrey thinking poorly of him was much more terrifying than any prison cell.
He threw on his beige khakis, white undershirt and blue button up then took his cue to head over to Audrey once he heard the sirens of the cop car begin to drive away. He approached her with trepidation while making sure his shirt was tucked in.
"Audrey, what'd they say to you?" He asked, unsure of whether or not he wanted to hear the answer.
"Oh...who?" Was all she could muster. Her hands were shaking. Her voice was shaking. Something was definitely not right.
"The police." Seymour responded, trying to ease her into opening up.
"Oh...uh-nothing!" Trying to play it off was something Audrey was adapted to. She wore a brave face every single day, today was no different.
" Audrey, talk to me. Tell me what they said." He tried to be as gentle as possible but he needed to know. Was she pushing him away because she knew what he'd done? Of course not. If the police knew for sure that Seymour was with Orin when he died, he'd be in handcuffs by now. Better him than Audrey though.
"Seymour, really, it's nothing." With that, she started to cry. Small whimpers escaped her lipstick smeared lips no matter how hard she tried to conceal them. That was when he noticed her lipstick, it hadn't been applied as precisely as usual. Her trademark blue eyeshadow was smudged and there were dried mascara stains beneath her eyes, almost as though she'd been crying for hours. Her hair hadn't been set the night before which left it slightly wavy, falling into her face more than it usually did. On second glance, he realized she was wearing the outfit she wore to work yesterday. A tight, long sleeved black with a feathered white cardigan atop it.
"Audrey...what's wrong? You can tell me anything." In an attempt to comfort her, Seymour took her hand in his and then he saw them. Handcuff shaped bruises on both her wrists, fresh ones. "Did Orin do this to you?" He asked naively, forgetting for just a moment the events that had transpired not even 24 hours prior.
Audrey gasped and pulled her hand back. She began to retreat, running surprisingly fast in heels like those until she reached what could only be described as a wreckage. A fire escape stood opposite piles of bricks with hints of green growing out of them. It was surprisingly romantic. Seymour followed quickly behind and he could've sworn he felt his heart break when he saw her pressed against a half destroyed wall, helpless, sobbing.
"Au-Audrey? Don't cry, Audrey! I don't wanna push you, I'll just sit with you if that's what you want? I can listen, I can just be here for you, I can even leave you alone. I just need to make sure you're okay." She couldn't believe how kind Seymour was, even after years of knowing what his character was, she was still surprised. Nobody had ever treated her kindly. She sniffed and took a deep breath, still not able to look him in the eye.
"The bruises from the handcuffs weren't from Orin...this time. In fact, I haven't heard from him in a while." Seymour gulped, secretly glad that she wasn't looking at him in case she could sense any guilt he was harboring. "They're...they're from the cops."
"The cops? What do you mean?" He was dumbfounded.
Audrey glanced back at him, her face full of shame.
"Were you arrested?" He asked, expecting an obvious "no." Instead what he got was Audrey beginning to sob again, which told him all he needed to know.
"Well, that's preposterous!" He continued. "Why?! Why on earth would they arrest you? You'd never do anything wrong! I-If you want, I'll march down to the police station and tell them myself!"
Audrey was genuinely touched by his gallant vouching for her character. "If only he knew…" she thought. Well, it seemed like he was about to.
"Seymour...I was arrested for soliciting…" She had turned to face him but kept her eyes fully fixated on her heels.
Suddenly, Seymour felt lightheaded. Had he heard her right? Audrey? Soliciting? He knew how tight money had been lately, even with the success of Audrey II, the wage at Mushnik's still didn't provide an entirely comfortable lifestyle.
"Oh…" Was the only thing he could think of to say. What could he even say to that?
Audrey gasped and scuttled backwards to sit on a concrete step, still crying. "Oh Seymour, what you must think of me!"
After that, he knew exactly what to say, he knew exactly what she needed to hear. He moved over to her, crouched down and took her hand in his, although she still hadn't mustered up the courage to look him in the eyes. "Audrey, do you know what I think of you? I think you're the most wonderful person who's ever lived. You're generous, you're kind and, most importantly, you're brave. You're doing what you need to do to survive, to get out of Skid Row. We both know you don't belong here, you belong in a place that's safe and welcoming and green." On the word "green", her eyes shot up and locked with Seymour's. "Behind the bruises and the handcuffs, you know what I see? A girl I respect. I admire you, Audrey."
Seymour stopped himself before he said "I love you."
Audrey was still crying but for different reasons now. Seymour truly saw into her soul, behind everything that others judged her for. She quietly sniffed, then squeezed his hand which she was still firmly holding. "Seymour, I don't even know what to say to such kindness. You know, you deserve to get out of here, too. You're too good for a place like this. I can't thank you enough, Seymour."
Audrey stopped herself before she said "I love you."